Tim Banks is the CEO of APM, a Canada wide construction and property development company, with its head office in Charlottetown, PEI. My family has lived on PEI for over eight generations and I was born at the Prince County Hospital in Summerside, PEI. I am hoping someone will soon develop a blood test to authenticate when you actually become an "Islander" as I am still having problems explaining where I'm from?

Sunday, December 21, 2008

I must applaud Mr. Flaherty for having the foresight to bring forward such a strong group of business leaders some of whom may not necessarily share the same political stripe as the Government and I think it is important to at least hear them out and leave politics behind. Clearly the economy is probably the biggest threat facing Canadians and most of these folks have proven that they can steer themselves through many crises and their advice could certainly be useful at this point. I think for the most part these people will be very positive and I'm hoping they tell Government to stay focused, positive and trust our Canadian people and businesses to work hard and build on our natural resources as we are a great Country. Being positive will be half the battle... the rest will be up to ourselves...Flaherty appoints economic advisory councilFormer B.C. finance minister Carole Taylor named as chairThursday, December 18, 2008CBC NewsFinance Minister Jim Flaherty said Thursday he will meet with "eminent" Canadians — most of whom are prominent business leaders — to seek advice on the federal budget and the economy.Flaherty's economic councilJames A. Pattison, CEO, Jim Pattison Group.Paul Desmarais Jr., co-CEO, Power Corporation of Canada.Geoff Beattie, deputy chairman, Thomson Reuters.James D. Irving, president of J.D. Irving Ltd.George Gosbee, CEO, Tristone Capital Inc.Isabelle Hudon, president, Marketel.Mike Lazaridis, founder and co-CEO, Research In MotionJack Mintz, former CEO, C.D. Howe Institute.Ajit Someshwar, CEO, CSI Consulting Inc.Annette Verschuren, division president, Home Depot Canada.Carole Taylor, former B.C. finance minister.Speaking at a Saskatoon news conference, he said members of the 11-member advisory panel have agreed to provide their insight for a dollar a year."This is a council that I wanted to appoint as part of the pre-budget consultations and then on an ongoing basis because of the continuing deterioration in the world economy, the U.S. economy affecting our economy, and the deterioration in commodity prices as well," Flaherty told reporters.He will seek out their advice on taxation, credit availability and what sort of stimulus is needed for the economy, he said.Flaherty will first meet with the council on Tuesday, and will continue to do so over the course of the year.The panel includes former C.D. Howe Institute CEO Jack Mintz, Research In Motion founder Mike Lazaridis and former B.C. Liberal finance minister Carole Taylor, who was named chair of the council.When asked what sort of advice he was looking to get from the group that he can't get from other MPs, Flaherty replied: "I wanted a group with some more permanence so there would be more continuity to the discussions — so I choose a group of eminent Canadians, all of whom who agreed to serve."He said he did not look at political ties before asking them to join his council.